OWH: Coronavirus cases in Lexington area have more than doubled in a week

Coronavirus cases in Lexington area have more than doubled in a week

· By Nancy Gaarder World-Herald staff writer

4.20.20

The central Nebraska county that is home to Lexington has seen a surge in coronavirus cases in the past week and now ranks third-highest in the state.

Nebraska had recorded 1,474 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, as of Sunday evening. That’s an increase of 187 from the day before. So far, 28 deaths have been reported in Nebraska, with no new deaths reported Sunday.

As of Sunday evening, Dawson County had reported 124 cases, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, placing it third behind Hall and Douglas Counties. That is more than double the cases reported a week earlier.

No immediate information was available on the Dawson County cases. The county’s population is about 24,000, and its largest employer is Tyson Foods, with a workforce of about 2,700. Tyson is not releasing the number of cases at its plant, spokeswoman Liz Croston said. The Nebraska National Guard was deployed to Dawson County on Friday and Saturday to run tests in Lexington.

Hall County, where Grand Island is located, still has the state’s highest number of coronavirus cases, with 468 cases as of Saturday.

Douglas County reported five new cases Sunday, bringing its total to 288. The latest cases involve four women and one man who range in age from 27 to 49, according to the Douglas County Health Department.

Four had contact with someone known to be infected, and one acquired the virus from community spread.

None are hospitalized.

Lancaster County reported two new cases, a child who lives with someone who is infected and a woman in her 80s.

Lancaster County has 75 confirmed cases, 45 of which are believed to be community-acquired, according to local officials. One person there has died.